Automatic lead and electrical aiming device for close support missiles

ABSTRACT

An aiming device having a lens system including an eyepiece assembly, a centrally mounted collimating lens pivotable about a transverse horizontal axis and a gathering and objective lens system. An aiming post mounted between the objective lens and the collimating lens, and a mask having range marks thereon mounted rearwardly of said collimating lens and forward of the eyepiece. The aiming device also includes adjacent said mask a tiltable aiming needle and a spring restrained rate gyro connected therewith whereby the degree of tilt of said lever is proportional to the rate of rotation of the aiming device.

11 1 3,802,787 14 1 Apr. 9,' 1974 AUTOMATIC LEAD AND ELECTRICAL AIMING DEVICE FOR CLOSE SUPPORT M1ss1LEs Inventor: James V. Johnston, Huntsville, Ala.

Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 Appl. No.: 319,248

US, Cl ..l 356/247, 350/10, 350/16, 356/250 References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 10/1968 Stauff et a1. 356/149 X 1 1:. C1 GOlc 9/14 Field of Search 356/142, 149, 247, 250;

3,629.959 12/1971 Colin et al. 350/16 UX Primary ExaminerRonald L. Wibert Assistant ExaminerF. L. Evans Attorney, Agent, or FirmEdward J. Kelly; Herbert Berl; Herbert Murray I ABSTRACT An aiming device having a lens system including an eyepiece assembly, a Centrally mounted collimating lens pivotable about a transverse horizontal axis and a gathering and objective lens system. An aiming post mounted between the objective lens and the collimating lens, and a mask having range marks thereon mounted rearwardly 0f said collimating lens and forward of the eyepiece. The aiming device also. includes adjacent said mask a tiltable aiming needle and a spring restrained rate 'gyro connected therewith whereby the degree of tilt of said lever is proportional to the rate of rotation of the aiming device.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BATTERY d +1 AUTOMATIC LEAD AND ELECTRICAL AIMING DEVICE FOR CLOSE SUPPORT MISSILES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of projectile sighting devices against moving targets. Present-day technology in close support missiles requires the gunner to steer the missile into the moving target either by tracking the target or his missile and the target. In every system, it is required for the gunner to stay exposed and in contact with his missile until he makes a kill. It has long been desired to have a tire and forget system so that the gunner could move as soon as he launched his missile. The directional control missile systems provide the vehicle for this concept but they have not been pursued due to a lack of fire control system for an individual gunner. The problem has been complexity and cost for such a fire control system. This invention provides a truly low cost, simple, and accurate automatic aiming device.

In accordance with the need, it is an object of this invention to provide an aiming device which takes into account both range and lead angle andis relatively simple to operate.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an aim-.

range lines 62, 64, 66 and 68 as best seen in FIG. 2. A range post 70 is mounted between the collimating lens and the gathering and objective lens assembly 28. The upper end of the post assembly is provided with a horizontally extending range indicator 72.

A gyro 80 is mounted within gimbal structure 82 pivotally. supported by bearings 84 and 86. The shaft 88 extending through the bearing 86 has an aiming needle 90 mounted on the end thereof. The aiming needle 90 extends upwardly in front of the aiming mask 60 as illustrated in FIG. 2. A zeroing mechanism for the needle 90 is provided and comprises two springs92 and 94 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 the aiming device generally indicated 10 has a housing 12 which incloses arr-optical system comprised of three basic optical assemblies. The first of these assemblies 14 is the imaging and erecting exit optical assembly and includes two lenses 16 and 18, the second is a collimating lens 20 which is pivotal mounted on bearings 22 and 24 and is provided with a weight 26 which tends to keep the lens 20 in a vertical position regardless of the angle of the housing 12 and a third opticalassembly indicated generally 28 includes gathering and objective lenses 30' and 32 re-,

spectively.

The collimating lens 20 is spring biased by a mechanism best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.which comprises a rod 40 which extends upwardly from the pivoted lens mount and is confined by springs 42 and 44 between the leg portions 46 and 48 respectively of ayoke member 50. A knob 52 is connected to the yoke member 50 and by adjustment of the knob 52 a spring bias can be applied to the lens assembly 2 0 to compensate for targets which are either uphill or downhill from the gunners position.

A removable range mask 60 is mounted between the collimating lens 20 and the imaging-and erecting assembly 14. The mask 60 is provided with a plurality of which are connected to the needle 90 and their outer ends are connected to adjusting levers 96 and 98 respectively. Rotation of the levers 96 and 98 about the shafts 100 and 102 provide a means for centering the needle 90. The shafts 100 and 102 are provided with knobs, one of which is shown as 104 in FIG. 1, for adjustment of the tension of the springs 92 and 94. Battery assemblies 106 and 108 are provided to provide electrical power for spinning the gyro 80.

In the use of the aiming device 10 of the present invention the device is first attached to a launch tube and boresighted with respect thereto. The proper ran'ge' mask 60 is inserted therein, the range mask must have range marks which are compatible with the flight characteristics of the missile to be launched. The gyro is then activated and run up to speed and the needle 90 is nulled by adjustment of the tension'inthe springs 92 and 94. The gyro is then disengaged until a target is sighted. The gyro is again activated and needle 90 will already be nulled. When the gunner sights atarget he first estimates the range to the target and then sights through the scope and adjusts knob 52 to apply sufficient bias to the collimating lens 20 so that the target appears at the proper range in the mask 60 as illustrated-in FIG. 6. The range estimate used for this sight picture appearing in FIG. 6 is 1,100 meters. The launch tube is then elevated until the range indicator 72 appears in the mask to be at the elevation of the target image. If the target is moving, sayfrom left to right as illustrated in FIG. 6, the rotation of the device about the gunner as a center causes the rate gyro to tilt and the needle is placed then on the center of the target image thus automatically providing both super eleva-' having different characteristics it is merely necessary at r the time the aiming device is attached to the launch tube to interchange the'range mask 60 for one which is compatible with the new missile.

I'claim: 1. An aiming device for a missile launcher comprising a tubular housing,

an eyepiece assembly including an imaging lens and an erecting lens mounted adjacent one end of said housing, a gathering and objective lens system mounted adja cent the other end of said housing, a collimating lens pivotably mounted adjacent the center of said housing between said eyepiece assembly and said gathering and objective lens system,

a range indicating post mounted in said housing between said-c'ollimating lens and said gathering and objective lens system,

a range mask having range marks thereon removeably mounted in said housing between said collimating lens and said eyepiece,

said collimating lens being mounted for rotary movetion. '2. An aiming deviceas set forth in claim 1 including a battery driven gyroscope gimbal mounted within said ment about a horizontal axis extending through the center of said lens and transverse to the longitudinal axis of said housing, a weight attached to said collimating lens and adapted to maintain said lens in a vertical position regardless of the degree of tilt of said housing, and

adjustable means for spring biasing said collimating lens away from its vertical position in either, direchousing, a needle attached to the shaft of said gimbal with its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said housing,

tion when there is no rotary movement of said housing.

Page 1 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 38O2787 Dated April ,197Li' Inventor(s) James V. Johnston It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The sheets'of drawings containing Figures 2-6 as shown on the attached pages should be added.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM'DC 6037B'P69 LLS. GOVERNMENT'PRINI'ING OFFICE: 869- 93 0 FORM PO-IOSO (10-69)- Page 2 BATTERY 0 7 FIG. 3 i

J'OUCZIU! Page 3 v rmgnumn slam snmaor 4 

1. An aiming device for a missile launcher comprising a tubular housing, an eyepiece assembly including an imaging lens and an erecting lens mounted adjacent one end of said housing, a gathering and objective lens system mounted adjacent the other end of said housing, a collimating lens pivotably mounted adjacent the center of said housing between said eyepiece assembly and said gathering and objective lens system, a range indicating post mounted in said housing between said collimating lens and said gathering and objective lens system, a range mask having range marks thereon removeably mounted in said housing between said collimating lens and said eyepiece, said collimating lens being mounted for rotary movement about a horizontal aXis extending through the center of said lens and transverse to the longitudinal axis of said housing, a weight attached to said collimating lens and adapted to maintain said lens in a vertical position regardless of the degree of tilt of said housing, and adjustable means for spring biasing said collimating lens away from its vertical position in either direction.
 2. An aiming device as set forth in claim 1 including a battery driven gyroscope gimbal mounted within said housing, a needle attached to the shaft of said gimbal with its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said housing, said needle projecting upwardly adjacent said range mask, and spring bias means attached to said needle for biasing said needle to a vertical position.
 3. An aiming device as set forth in claim 2 wherein adjusting means are provided for adjusting the spring bias for said needle to null said needle in vertical position when there is no rotary movement of said housing. 